President Obama has just signed the bi-partisan bill from Congress that shields US airlines from the EU’s attempted carbon emissions fee. This was an attempt by the EU to unilaterally impose a tax on each ton of carbon emitted by planes flying into or out of Europe. It was a ploy, probably illegal, to raise funds directly to the EU rather than through contributions from its member countries. It was done without consultation with countries whose airlines will be affected, and aroused a storm of opposition, notably from China. The EU has already announced a one-year postponement before its tax comes into effect. Following the US decision, which passed with a rare show of unanimity in the Senate, the EU tax looks dead in the water, which is where it belongs. It was clumsy and naïve, and would have siphoned off billions of dollars from the world’s airlines to stuff the already over-bloated budget of the EU. It would have achieved no environmental effects of any significance either.
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Madsen Pirie 
Unlike other bills that he has signed, this one got no publicity as it would upset his watermelon supporters if they knew. He’s such a coward and hypocrite.